France, FAO, and UNICEF launch €2 million aid program for quake-affected communities

The Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO), UNICEF, and the Government of France have launched a €2 million initiative to support communities in eastern Afghanistan affected by the August 2025 earthquake.

The project, funded under the French Initiative for Food Security and Nutrition (FIFSAN), aims to restore food security, improve nutrition, and protect livelihoods, particularly for women and children.

The programme will directly reach 51,870 people in Kunar and Nangarhar provinces, with indirect benefits for approximately 190,000 more, focusing on rebuilding productive assets, promoting household food production, and reducing malnutrition.

Using FAO’s Cash+ approach, families will receive unconditional cash transfers, livestock protection packages, poultry and vegetable support, and nutrition education. UNICEF will complement these efforts by improving access to nutritious first foods, promoting optimal infant and young child feeding, and strengthening WASH services to prevent malnutrition.

“Targeted support gives families the space to recover with dignity rather than being forced into impossible choices,” said Richard Trenchard, FAO Representative in Afghanistan.

Dr. Tajudeen Oyewale, UNICEF Representative, added that nearly 80% of Afghan children affected by malnutrition are under two, making early intervention critical.

The joint initiative addresses both immediate needs and the long-term recovery of food systems, nutrition, and livelihoods in a region still reeling from natural disasters and repeated crises.